Open Division
The Open Division of the Entrepreneurial Challenge provides Colorado-based entrepreneurs the chance to participate in professional networking opportunities, receive expert opinions from a panel of judges who have walked in your shoes and an engaging environment where our contestants will grow to become more empowered entrepreneurs. Participants will be competing for a share of prize money and will learn their placements after the final competition in February.
The Open Division of the Entrepreneurial Challenge is open to pre-launch or early-stage startups that have begun operation within the past two years. Colorado-based entrepreneurs are eligible to apply individually or as a team of up to five participants.
Finalists from previous years are not eligible to apply.
Application
Selected applicants will present their pitch during the Entrepreneurial Challenge Pitch Competition. Participants will be competing for a share of cash rewards from the University of Northern Colorado and will learn their placements after the final competiton.
Applications for the 2022 Entrepreneurial Challenge Open Division are available on our website via the link below.
Payment Information
- Please make application fee checks payable to “University of Northern Colorado”.
- Include a letter with the payment stating the company name and the participant’s name(s).
- Application fee is $175
Send checks and the letter to:
Important Dates
October 25th
Applications Open
December 15th
Applications Close
Previous Year's Winners
“Small optics are all around us, from internet-of-things (IoT) devices to self-driving cars to medical endoscopes to the ubiquitous smartphone camera. However, quickly bringing a new opto-electronic product to market is challenging with the high cost of prototyping lenses, the slow turn-around in receiving custom optics and the challenges of ramping up production to meet the demands of a mass market. Momentum Optics is addressing these needs with high-quality, affordable, rapidly-delivered, custom optics.”
“Ouro Mobility is a community-integrated electric carsharing and mobility services company, founded in Fort Collins, Colorado. We specialize in partnering with cities and master-planned housing communities to provide an all-electric car sharing service for suburban residents. Through exclusive partnerships with housing developers, Ouro Mobility strategically integrates our carsharing service into each development by placing vehicle stations throughout the community and in nearby commercial areas.”
-- Ouro Mobility
“We are developing SickStick, a saliva-based in vitro diagnostic device for the early detection of infectious disease. SickStick is easy to use (readout similar to a pregnancy test) and capable of detecting when an individual is infected with a contagious disease days before clinical symptoms appear. SickStick is primarily being developed for military use in order to effectively quarantine individuals to prevent the spread of infectious disease.”
